Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>>>>>>>>> An example is the test series by Popular Photography on the three Leica lenses in 1994 50 1.4, 35 1.4 and 75 1.4). All three tested very poorly at the largest two apertures. The test results were horrible at 1.4 and 2.0. However, at the middle apertures the lenses were absolutely outstanding. Knowing how Popular Photography tests their lenses helps explain this. Popular Photography is very "biased" toward flat field lenses with no curvature of field. All three of these Leica lenses have substantial curvature of field. This makes their test results very bad at the widest apertures. <<<<<<<<<< Very good point. I was looking at those Pop Photo tests just the other night. And to their credit, they do note in the copy accompanying their charts that their low test results at wide apertures is due to a high curvature of field. Larry